


Drifting Anniversaries

by inkinmyheartandonthepage



Series: We Forgot Peter [32]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Anniversary, Concerned Avengers, Emotional, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Whump, Peter Parker is a Mess, Peter Parker parents are dead, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, The Avengers Are Good Bros, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:42:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28310337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkinmyheartandonthepage/pseuds/inkinmyheartandonthepage
Summary: Peter woke up thinking it was just a normal day - until May reminded him of his parents anniversary.
Relationships: May Parker (Spider-Man) & Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: We Forgot Peter [32]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1891810
Comments: 37
Kudos: 874
Collections: Peter Parker's Tales





	Drifting Anniversaries

**Author's Note:**

> MERRY CHRISTMAS! 
> 
> I hope everyone has a wonderful day and for those who don't celebrate may the day bring you good fortune and happiness :) 
> 
> Thank you all so much for all the wonderful comments and love that you have given this series :) I am overwhelmed with the amount of support you have given this series :) 
> 
> This prompt is from midnightsky0612 on Ao3 - how about forgetting uncle ben's (or Peter's parents) death anniversary or forgetting how smart peter is. 
> 
> My apologies for any mistakes and I hope you enjoy :)

It’s May who reminds him.

Peter bounds out of bedroom, dressed and ready for the day at school. He grins when he sees a plate of eggs and toast already waiting for him on the kitchen table and he slips into his seat, tossing May a thankful smile.

“Thanks Aunt May! This is great.”

“That’s okay,” May said and Peter looks up at the cautious way she speaks. She’s looking at him with a hesitant smile on her face a mug of coffee in her hands. She’s smiling but it’s not her usual smile and makes something twist in Peter’s stomach.

“May?” Peter asked.

“Did you want to go to school today?” May asked carefully.

Peter blinks, wondering if May was asking him a trick question. It was definitely a school day (a quick look at his phone confirming that it’s only Tuesday). Peter wracked his mind for a solution as to why May would ask him if he wanted to go to school but he was coming up blank.

“Ummm,” Peter hummed, looking around wildly for some sort of clue.

“You can,” May said gently and patient. “If you want to. How about a half day? We could go visit your parents grave this morning and I can take you to have your afternoon classes?”

May’s words feel like someone has dropped a bucket of ice water over his head. His body goes cold and he stares at the plate of food in front of him. Today was the anniversary of his parent’s death. They day that he had come to live with May and Ben all those years ago. He had forgotten. How could he have forgotten his parent’s death anniversary?

Every year, Peter woke up like clock on the day and simply laid in bed. He never felt like eating, grief always making his stomach feel like lead. May and Ben had always let him sleep in and take his time getting up on the day. No wonder May had been looking at him funny. How could he forget something so important?

“Peter?” May asked carefully.

“I don’t want to go,” Peter said automatically, staring blankly at his plate.

“Okay,” May soothed. “I’ll call the school and let them know.”

Peter stood up and slunk back to his room, leaving his untouched breakfast behind. He closed the door behind him with a soft click and his body shuddered. He half listened to May talking on the phone as he sunk back onto his bed. His eyes drifted to the photo on his wall and he swallowed thickly. It was a picture of his parents, taken not to long before they had died. They were dressed in fancy clothes, on their way to something important that Peter couldn’t remember now. He frowned, searching his memories for the event they had been heading to but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t remember.

Before the panic could settle in, his door was opening and May peeked her head in. “I’ll just get dressed and then did you want to head over?”

“Yeah,” Peter mumbled, giving a tiny nod.

“Okay,” May said. “I won’t be long. Do you want to text Ned, let him know you won’t be in?”

Peter nodded again, slipping his phone out of his pocket. May gave a small sigh before she closed the door, leaving Peter to stare blankly at his phone and feeling like the worse person in the world.

* * *

“Peter! Focus,” Steve called out across the training room.

Tony watched as Peter gave a silent nod, pulling himself off the mat where Steve had managed to knock him down yet again. It wasn’t unusual for Peter, or any of them, to get knocked down during training, but Peter seemed to be spending more time on his back then on his feet making Tony very concerned. He knew that Peter should have been able to see that hit coming a mile away. He had seen Peter literally dodge bullets and yet today he could barely catch Steve’s punches.

“What’s going on with the kid?” Natasha asked, appearing at Tony’s side.

“I have no idea,” Tony said, not surprised that someone else had picked up on the fact that Peter was not his normal self. It was troubling to see and yet Tony had no idea what was going on with the Kid. May had eluded that Peter may not be his normal self but he thought it was just teenage angst, but this was a whole new level.

“Talk to him,” Natasha said. “If he’s not concentrating here then he’s not on patrols. He could hurt himself.”

Tony nodded with agreement, well aware that Peter wasn’t doing great on his patrols thanks to Karen’s alerts. He knew that Peter was sporting several bad bruises and what was worse, he didn’t even seem to hide them like he usually would from Tony. He had thought that a training session with the Avengers would help bring out whatever funk Peter was in but clearly it had been a mistake.

Tony winced at the loud bang, watching as Peter simply laid on the mat, Steve frowning above him.

“Peter?” Steve asked.

“I’m fine,” Peter said almost robotically and climbed to his feet again. “I’m ready. Go.”

“No,” Steve shook his head. “Time for a break.”

“Okay,” Peter agreed easily.

Steve turned to Tony, shooting him a concerned frown.

“Kid,” Tony called, waiting until Peter was looking at him to continue. “Come here.”

Peter strolled over, the eyes of the mask blinking at Tony eerily.

“Alright, kiddo, come with me,” Tony said, gently putting a hand on Peter’s shoulder and he begun to steer him from the training room and the prying eyes of the Avengers who were all looking at him with undisguised concern.

Peter said nothing as Tony led him from the room. Tony couldn’t stop the looks of concern he kept giving the kid. He took him away from the training room and towards the elevator in silence and he nearly jumped when Peter finally spoke.

“Where are we going?”

“To my lab,” Tony cleared his throat. “That okay?”

“Is training over?” Peter asked, sounding a little confused.

“Sure is kiddo,” Tony said, squeezing his shoulder.

“Oh,” Peter said. “Should I go home now?”

“Do you want to go home?” Tony asked gently. Maybe he should give May a call and find out what was happening?

Peter shrugged and Tony suppressed a sigh. He needed to get to the bottom of this. They said nothing as Tony directed Peter to his lab and when they were finally inside, Tony had FRIDAY lock it down and gently slipped Peter’s mask off his head.

“Take a seat, kiddo,” Tony said.

Peter did as he asked, staring at Tony with a look so full of trust and innocence that it made Tony’s heart skip a beat. Tony brought his own stool over and crowded close, eyes roaming over Peter face, looking for some sort of clue as to what was going on in the kid’s head.

“Want to tell me what’s going on?” Tony asked.

Peter glanced around the lab. “I’m not sure.”

“Hey,” Tony put a hand on Peter’s knee, giving it a squeeze. “You can talk to me. About anything. Spider-man related, or Peter related. I’m here for you kid. I just want to know what’s going on in your head. Normally you make Cap work in training.”

Peter bowed his head, fingers twisting together in his lap. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay to have a bad day kid,” Tony said. “But Karen’s been telling me that it’s a bit more than just a bad day. You’ve been getting some pretty nasty bruises on patrol. I’m worried, Pete.”

Peter continued to twist his fingers in lap, head down and not saying a word. Tony suppressed his sigh, ready to stand up and call it a day when Peter finally spoke.

“I forgot.”

“Forgot?” Tony repeated.

Peter nodded and finally looked up, tears shining in his eyes. “I forgot. I just…didn’t remember.”

“What did you forget, Pete?” Tony asked hesitantly. He wondered if this had something to do with Ned, or MJ. Maybe it was teenage angst. Tony was not prepared for teenage angst.

“My parents’ anniversary,” Peter sniffed. “I got up to go to school, like every other day and I just forgot. May reminded me. I’m a horrible person.”

Tony sucked in a breath as a tear ran down Peter’s cheek and he squeezed Peter’ knee. “You, Peter, are far from a horrible person.”

“I forgot my parents’ anniversary,” Peter sniffed, voice full of tears. “I can’t remember why they were dressed up in the photo. I can’t remember what my mum or dad sounded like or how the smell. It’s all fading and I’m the worst son ever!”

“I can’t remember what my mum’s favourite flower is,” Tony shared abruptly.

Peter head snapped up and Tony smiled at him fondly, leaning forward and brining up his thumb to wipe Peter’s tears away.

  
“Used to place them at her grave every year but I’ve forgotten what her favourite flower is,” Tony said. “Does that make me a bad son?”

Peter shook his head.

“It’s okay not to remember Peter,” Tony placed his hand on Peter’s shoulder. “It doesn’t make you a bad son or a bad person. You can’t beat yourself over it, it’s not good for you. Trust me. Just because you can’t remember everything about them though, doesn’t mean the love you have for them is fading.”

“Are you sure?” Peter whispered.

“Yeah, kid, I’m sure,” Tony assured the boy, his heart clenching in his chest at how young Peter sounded. How much Peter had been through in just a short amount of time? The kid didn’t deserve this, the grief that he was carrying around. Tony wished he could take it all away for him. He couldn’t so he shifted until he could easily pull Peter into a hug, cradling the back of his head as the boy sniffed into his chest.

They stayed like that, Tony offering as much comfort as he could to the kid until Peter started to pull away, wiping his eyes.

“Sorry,” Peter sniffed.

“No need for apologies, kid,” Tony smiled. “How about we get cleaned up and I’ll make you some hot chocolate. They way my mum used to make it.”

Peter perked up and gave a shy nod. “Yeah, that would be nice.”

“Maybe while we drink it,” Tony hesitated, wondering if he was stepping over the line. “You could tell me about your mum and dad. What you do remember.”

Peter nodded, smiling a little bigger now. “Yeah, I’d like that. May sent me some photos. I could…I could show you them?”

“I’d like that kid,” Tony beamed, and he stood up, holding his hand out to Peter. He squeezed when Peter took it and he mentally congratulated the Parker’s on raising such an amazing man.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy reading :)


End file.
